Proverbs
Chapter 27
Don’t feel confident about tomorrow because you don’t know how today will end.
Let someone else praise you, but not your own mouth, a stranger, but not your own lips.
Heavy is the stone and weighty the sand, but the fool’s anger outweighs both.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is impulsive, but who can withstand jealousy?
Better an honest rebuke than a false one affection.
A trustworthy friend speaks honestly; an enemy is one who showers unnecessary affection.
A full mouth looks down on honey; the hungry find any bitter thing sweet.
Like a bird far from its nest, so is the one who wanders from his own place.
Oil and perfume lift the heart; likewise, the sweetness of friendship comforts the soul.
Never abandon your friend or your father’s friend; do not rush to your brother’s house when trouble strikes: a friend nearby is better than a brother far away.
Learn to be wise, my son, and make me proud so I can respond to those who insult me.
The wise man anticipates danger and seeks safety, but fools keep moving forward, risking their own loss.
Take a man’s garment when he has provided security for a stranger, and when he offers surety for strangers, hold him in pledge.
If he blesses his neighbor loudly at dawn, it will be seen as a curse.
The constant drip of a gutter on a rainy day and a nagging woman share something in common.
Trying to stop her is like trying to catch the wind or grasping oil in your hand.
Iron sharpens iron; contact with others sharpens a person’s mind.
He who tends the fig tree eats its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.
Just as the face is reflected in water, man discovers himself within his own heart.
Death and Sheol are never satisfied: likewise, the eyes of men.
A crucible for silver, a furnace for gold; you will judge a person by his reputation.
Even if you grind the fool in a mortar, you won’t rid him of his stupidity.
Be consistently aware of your herd’s condition and care for your flock diligently,
because wealth doesn’t last forever, and riches aren’t passed down from generation to generation.
Once the pasture has been mowed, the after-growth has appeared, and you’ve gathered the hay from the hills,
you should have lambs to clothe you and goats that can pay for your fields.
You should also have enough goat’s milk to feed yourself, support your household, and provide for your serving girls.
Commentaries
Fifth Collection.
The central theme in this section is righteousness in relationships, especially integrity in friendships. Having many friends is pointless if none can be trusted; true friendship never hides wrongdoings but openly and honestly corrects them, and it is never flattering or deceitful. The same tradition of wisdom rightly states that whoever finds a friend finds a treasure (cf. Sir 6:14).
Fifth Collection.
The teacher of wisdom again takes on the role of a father who, based on his years of life and accumulated experience, teaches his children or disciples. The teacher/father helps them understand the importance of education for young people, as their inexperience can easily lead them astray from the right path. These teachings highlight typical precautions of post-exilic Jewish society: vouching for a stranger (13); guarding against hypocrisy (17, 19) and quarrelsome women (15f); becoming accustomed to eating the fruit of one’s labor (18); in short, adjusting one’s life so that a clear conscience becomes the foundation of security.